The field of health is infinite for all the knowledge that is needed. In addition, learning never ends and even after graduating from university it is possible to continue with professional training. The most common path is to take the National Examination of Applicants for Medical Residencies (ENARM) to be a specialist, but do you know how many applicants are registered?
In the first instance, it should be mentioned that it is not the only alternative that exists. There are also other options that are often forgotten, such as pursuing a master’s degree. It is also possible to practice the profession immediately or focus on other areas such as research or teaching.
In this sense, it is sometimes thought that a general practitioner is inferior to a specialist, but this is not the case. In fact, knowing a little about everything is just as complicated as focusing on one area.
The hard road towards the specialty
In any case, the interest in being specialists generates that every year thousands of young people register. The drawback is that the competition is too high and the places are limited. Due, it is no longer enough to get a good score because many are left out despite exceeding the minimum score for their chosen specialty.
Now, it is necessary to point out that the ENARM was applied for the first time in 1977. The initial objective was to be a tool for measuring knowledge of general medicine. The body that regulates and administers it is the Interinstitutional Commission for the Training of Human Resources for Health (CIFRHS).
Every year an important operation is deployed to guarantee the safety of the applicants and of the test in general. In addition, different versions of the exam are prepared and different measures are implemented to avoid improper actions among ENARM applicants. The problem is that illicit acts have been reported on more than one occasion and the most common is related to the sale of reagents.
Growing interest of doctors in the ENARM
Now, although in recent years there has been an important increase in the number of places offered by the ENARM, the figure is still not enough. The problem is that the increase is not proportional to the interest it generates among applicants.
In that vein, until 2019 only two out of 10 young people obtained a place. With this, it is understood why there is a serious deficit of specialists in Mexico. Although there are many interested, most are rejected because the places are quite limited.
The clearest sign of the interest of young people is that in the 2016 edition of the ENARM there were just over 36 thousand applicants. While for the most recent, carried out in 2021, the figure was almost 50 thousand.
With this figure, to date only four out of 10 obtain a place. But although there have been increases in recent years, the biggest problem is that hospitals no longer have places to receive more residents.
Based on the foregoing, it is understood that the construction of more hospitals is now required. Otherwise it is difficult to be able to increase the places.
On the other hand, a strategy that has been implemented in recent years is to offer scholarships for residence abroad. Although the intention is noble, The main complaint of the applicants to the ENARM is that the only option available in Cuba. Meanwhile, we share with you a graph prepared by the editorial team of Saludiario about the increase registered in recent years.